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China insists on airline demands after US dismisses 'Orwellian nonsense'

China has again urged foreign airlines operating in the country to change the way they refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau to comply with Chinese law. The US had dismissed the demands as "Orwellian nonsense."

Beijing's Foreign Ministry on Monday doubled down on demands that foreign airlines refer to the self-governing regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as a part of China.

"Foreign enterprises operating in China should respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, abide by China's law and respect the national sentiment of the Chinese people," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement.

Beijing's statement comes after the White House on Saturday revealed that China's Civil Aviation Administration had last month demanded that 36 foreign carriers, including four US airlines, no longer refer to the disputed regions as separate countries.

In a statement on Saturday, US Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders decried the demands as "Orwellian nonsense," going on to accuse Beijing of attempting to export censorship and political correctness to the US and the rest of the free world.

China punishes US companies

Taiwan has remained a self-ruling entity since splitting from mainland China after the 1949 civil war. It maintains its own government, military and independent foreign policy. Beijing, however, refuses to recognize the island's sovereignty, instead viewing it as part of its territory awaiting reunification with the mainland. Relations between the two sides have taken a turn for the worse since the 2016 inauguration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to endorse Beijing's view that the island belongs to it.

The US has since 1979 sought to maintain a delicate diplomatic balance. Known as the "One China" policy, Washington has openly acknowledged Beijing's sovereign claim while simultaneously remaining Taiwan's unofficial ally and main arms supplier.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong, a British colony until 1997, and Macau, a Portuguese colony until 1999, are now classed as "special administrative regions" belonging to China. In Hong Kong, the Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly found itself confronting, and suppressing, several pro-Democracy groups.

Several foreign firms, including Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott and fashion brand Zara, have issued official apologies for referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and even Tibet as countries on their websites and promotional material.

Back in January, Australia's Qantas Airways said it had changed the classification of Taiwan and Hong Kong from separate countries to Chinese territories, blaming the designation on an "oversight."

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'I love China'

US President Donald Trump is known for his polarizing statements, not least when it comes to China. Shortly after announcing his presidential bid in 2016, Trump told an American broadcaster: "I love China." But his remarks regarding Beijing haven't always been so positive. DW examines the best quotes uttered by the US president concerning the People's Republic of China.

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'China is raping our country'

Trump has used particularly strong language to describe US-China relations."We can't continue to allow China to rape our country, and that's what they're doing. It's the greatest theft in the history of the world," he told a rally during his presidential campaign. In 2011, Trump claimed "China is raping this country" during a tour of a defense manufacturer in New Hampshire, local media reported.

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'Korea actually used to be a part of China'

"He then went into the history of China and Korea. Not North Korea, Korea. And you know, you’re talking about thousands of years ... and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China," Trump told the Wall Street Journal in April after meeting China's Xi Jinping. The remark prompted concern in South Korea, prompting China's foreign ministry to say: "There is nothing ... to worry about."

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'Just take them to McDonald's'

For Trump, fast food might be enough. "I beat the people from China. I win against China. You can win against China if you're smart. But our people don't have a clue. We give state dinners to the heads of China. I said, 'why are you doing state dinners for them? They're ripping us left and right. Just take them to McDonald's and go back to the negotiating table,'" Trump said at a 2015 rally.

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'I understand the Chinese mind'

In a fabled 2011 interview with China's state broadcaster Xinhua, Trump allegedly rattled off 20 books he'd read about China. "I've read hundreds of books about China over the decades. I know the Chinese. I've made a lot of money with the Chinese. I understand the Chinese mind," he allegedly said. But some have said the interview never happened. The only evidence survives on an LA Times blog post.

Donald Trump on China in 5 quotes

'Global warming was created by' China

Trump has often taken to his preferred social media platform to declare foreign policy objectives and decry his apparent foes. In 2012, he tackled the subject of climate change by accusing Beijing of fabricating the idea to hurt US economic interests. "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive," Trump said.